🎅 Dr George Dransfield from the Department of Physics and Magdalen College investigates the magic of Christmas and the physics-defying feat of one man (and a team of reindeer) visiting millions of homes in a single night... ⬇️ Watch online

How could young people’s perspectives strengthen your research? MPLS researchers and DPhil students are invited to complete a recruitment form to consult with a Youth Advisory Group on Data Science and AI projects at the University of Oxford.

What happened to the birds in The Twelve Days of Christmas?🎄 From partridges to swans, Professor Andy Gosler joins the team in a festive episode of Big Questions to explore why birds feature so prominently in the carol – and how those species faring today. 🎧 Listen online: tinyurl.com/4j9nnp2r

Join HAPP for the one-day conference Heritage Physics: Illuminating the Past, on how scientific techniques are used to study and preserve cultural heritage. 🗓️ Saturday 21 February 2026 🗺️ Mathematical Institute, Oxford and online ⬇️ Find out more and register online at: tinyurl.com/46b6zpmz

Join the Oxford Martin School for a panel discussion on last month's #COP30, with insights and reflections from members of the University’s delegation. 🗓️ Tuesday 27 January 2026 🗺️ Oxford Martin School and online Find out more and register at: www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/events/cop30...

EXPERT COMMENT: Dr Dan Challender, Department of Biology, explains why decisions on regulating international trade in wild species must better account for real-world social and ecological impacts if CITES is to prevent overexploitation and biodiversity loss. 👇 Read the piece: tinyurl.com/bdppmty4

This is excellent news! Congratulations to Angus on this very well deserved recognition by @royalmicrosoc.bsky.social. @mplsoxford.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk #electronmicroscopy

ICYMI: European Research Council Consolidator Grants awarded to eleven Oxford academics, with seven from MPLS: Fernanda Duarte, James Maynard, Pier Palamara, Ján Pich, Rob Salguero-Gómez, Erin E Saupe and Robert Weatherup. Congratulations to all the recipients 👏 ⬇️ See more at: tinyurl.com/mf3k2fct

With fresh reports of Northern Lights visible across the UK, it’s a good moment to revisit why sightings increased so markedly in 2024. Dr Carly Howett (Physics) explains what drives this activity, and why now can still be a good time to look up. 🎧 Listen: oxfordsparks.libsyn.com/why-are-we-s...

📢 Oxford University and UBS have launched the Oxford-UBS Centre for Applied AI, bringing together researchers from the MPLS Division and Saïd Business School to support interdisciplinary research across AI and society, business and future AI models. ⬇️ Find out more at: tinyurl.com/mpp89y43

Expert comment: This week marks the 80th anniversary of penicillin's Nobel Prize. Dr A Farley from the Ineos Oxford Institute calls for renewed collaboration to tackle today's antimicrobial resistance crisis, echoing the teamwork that led to penicillin's discovery. ⬇️ www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-12...

Many congratulations to Pier Palamara, Erin E Saupe, Fernanda Duarte, Robert Weatherup and Rob Salguero-Gómez – all awarded European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants 👏 Find out more about their research projects at www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-12...

Interested in Quantum Technologies? Join an online information session on Thursday 15 January at 10am to explore the Quantum Technologies MSc course, hear from faculty, and discover training in quantum computing, communications and sensing. Register now: tinyurl.com/yfkkuj8b

From AI technologies 🖥️ and DNA assembly 🧬 to ultra-compact atomic sources, the first @ox.ac.uk Impact Acceleration Account conference celebrated the economic, social and policy impacts of UKRI funded research projects. Read the summary and watch the recordings: www.mpls.ox.ac.uk/research/imp...

Physicists have found a ‘razor-thin’ string of galaxies rotating together inside a giant cosmic filament 140 million light-years away – one of the largest spinning structures ever seen. The findings could offer insights into how #galaxies formed. ➡️ Find out more at: tinyurl.com/2npr9bnf

Prof Nathalie Seddon, Director of @naturebasedsols.bsky.social, spoke at the UK’s first @nebriefing.bsky.social on the climate and nature crises. Addressing over a thousand leaders, she pushed for nature to be treated as core to policy - essential for resilience and a safe, thriving society ⬇️

The UK has identified 34 critical minerals essential for clean energy, tech and security. Researchers from Oxford Earth write for @uk.theconversation.com about why securing them will require new thinking, fairer supply chains and cleaner ways to extract and reuse materials. ➡️ tinyurl.com/mftxjyfc

Algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets has made a substantial gift to support early career researchers working in the field of pure mathematics. The funding will create a range of postgraduate and postdoctoral opportunities over the next three years. ➡️ Read more on the story: tinyurl.com/2edscxxs

New research involving Oxford University has found that drones can be a valuable, non-invasive tool for observing elephant families, with elephants quickly habituating to such airborne observers 🐘 Read more about the study in Nature Scientific Reports: tinyurl.com/3yj32yzr

Thinking of a #PhD in Atomic and Laser Physics? Join an open day for prospective DPhil applicants at the Department of Physics, which will include research group talks along with a supervisors and students Q&A. Friday 5 December, 10am–4pm Register: forms.office.com/e/ggmQZbEvd7

Sometimes it's just worth the wait. After a nearly day-long trek, botanists Septian Andriki and Dr Chris Thorogood (@biology.ox.ac.uk) recorded the first sighting in over a decade of the rare Rafflesia hasseltii in the rainforests of West Sumatra. 📺 Watch the moment: www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

What can researchers learn from science advice at the EU level? Join the Oxford Policy Engagement Network on 2 December, 3–4.30pm for a panel with EU scientific advisors discussing how evidence shapes policy and how researchers can engage. 👉 Register online at tinyurl.com/42w8wez5

ICYMI last week: The Life and Mind Building has been officially opened by Sir Paul Nurse, Principal Group Leader, The Francis Crick Institute, President Elect of the Royal Society, and 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine. ➡️ Read more at www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-11...

The Department of Chemistry is leading a collaborative project backed by the BBSRC to increase our understand how animals sense Earth’s magnetic field and apply this knowledge to engineer novel tools with potential biomedical uses. 👉 Find out more at tinyurl.com/3nvc7ssd

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt has been appointed Chair of AI@Oxford Research, a new role to champion and coordinate Oxford’s leading research in artificial intelligence (AI). ⬇️ Find out more about the news and AI@Oxford – tinyurl.com/5fax4tmx

A collaborative Oxford study using findings from NASA’s Cassini mission shows that Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons, may have the long-term stability required for life to develop. The next step is determining if Enceladus’ ocean has existed long enough for life to evolve. ⬇️ tinyurl.com/2tdjpatu

🦎 Island reptiles are twice at risk – more likely to go extinct and less likely to be studied. A collaborative paper led by @biology.ox.ac.uk reveals the gap in global conservation research. ⬇️ www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-11...

👏 Professor Philip Torr and Dr Christian Schroeder de Witt, both from the MPLS Division’s Department of Engineering Science, have been chosen as recipients of Schmidt Sciences' AI2050 Research Fellowships. ⬇️ Read more about their research: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-11...

Engineering isn’t just hard hats and nuts & bolts, it’s about solving problems that transform lives. This #NationalEngineeringDay, meet our researchers driving life-saving healthcare tech, sustainable infrastructure, assistive robotics and clean energy innovations 👩‍🔬👨‍💻

Environmental crime is vast, including illegal logging and the poaching and smuggling of wildlife. So why are so few environmental criminals on Interpol's 'most wanted' list, ask WildCRU's Diogo Veríssimo and Sally Sinclair in The Conversation UK. 👇 theconversation.com/why-are-so-f...

Welcome to Oxford! Our third cohort of Optiver Foundation Scholars have arrived to begin their studies across a range of #STEM subjects, from energy systems to computer science. ➡️ Find out more about the programme, including how to apply for next year tinyurl.com/36fruxax

Following the agreement for the acquisition announced in August, OrganOx, the pioneering Oxford spinout transforming kidney and liver transplantation, has been fully acquired by Terumo Corporation for US$1.5 billion. 👇 Read more about the spinout: tinyurl.com/2xatm788

🎙️ The #BigQuestions #Podcast is back for a brand new series! And the team are kicking off with a question that will resonate with many people 'Why do I bite my nails?' Prof Clare Mackay talks to the team about Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs). 🎧 www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/why...

Building faster, building fairer: can we make growth work for nature? ⬇️ Read the latest in the expert comment series by Professor Dame EJ Milner-Gulland from the Department of Biology: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-10...

📢 The Hester Cordelia Parsons Fund supports innovative research that bridges biology, chemistry, and physics, with awards up to £5,000. 📅 Application deadline: 13 February (week 4 of Hilary Term 2026) ➡️ Find out more at: www.mpls.ox.ac.uk/research-fun...

How can robotics and data science transform forestry? 🌳 Researchers from the Oxford Robotics Institute and @oxengsci.bsky.social are part of DigiForest, a collaboration creating precise, data-driven tools for sustainable forest management. 📺 Watch online: youtu.be/bqHAI31z30U?...

We are pleased to welcome the first cohort of Schmidt AI in Science Faculty Fellows as part of a new programme using artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific discovery in key global areas. 👉 Read more about the inaugural Fellows' research: ow.ly/t2ZH50XiaSC

Chronic pain affects millions worldwide. Co-led by the Department of Engineering Science, the EPIONE project will bring together engineers and neuroscientists to develop new implant and sensing technologies to improve treatments. ➡️ Find out more: ow.ly/MeN650Xhz4o

ICYMI: The recording of @oxfordphysics.bsky.social's 30th Hintze Lecture with Professor Sir Roger Penrose and Professor Janna Levin – 'A Universe of Black Holes' – is now available to watch online. Watch via YouTube at ow.ly/xJcS50XhssQ

⏰ Deadline alert: SCGC-FIRST The SCGC Fund for Innovation and Research in Sustainability and Technology (SCGC-FIRST) supports projects that deliver clear cost and environmental benefits over existing approaches. 📅 Application deadline: 31 October ➡️ tinyurl.com/yhtwu3un

Oxford e-Research Centre academics have been appointed to leadership roles in the University's Mathematical, Physical & Life Sciences Division @mplsoxford.bsky.social. The Centre is also providing leadership in the digital space to drive innovation & research excellence oerc.ox.ac.uk/news/oxford-...

This coming Saturday we are hosting our popular *alumni* event:  Morning of Theoretical Physics. The topic this time will be 'The Quantum Strong Force' and the guest speakers are Professor Fabrizio Caola, Professor Alan Barr and Professor Gavin Salam, FRS.

Don't worry if you weren't able to join the Radcliffe Science Library induction tours at the beginning of term. Visit the radcliffescilib.bsky.social website for details on using the RSL and all the services on offer. 👉 www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/libraries/rsl

Britain’s changing weather puts pressure on the energy grid, but greater flexibility can help balance supply, boost renewables and cut costs writes @oxfordphysics.bsky.social's Matthew Wright and colleagues in @uk.theconversation.com. ➡️ Read their article: ow.ly/bFK550XeTPQ

🩺October 20th is Clean Hospitals Day - a celebration of hygiene in healthcare & the hospital staff who make it happen. Bacteria can survive for months on hospital surfaces, and if these bacteria have antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, they pose a serious threat to patients and staff. (1/2)

🚀 We're please to announce our 2025-26 Public and Community Engagement with Research Fellows! This year’s cohort will build capacity, share best practice and explore new ways to embed engagement into research across the Division. 👉 Read more: ow.ly/sWR350XeRqZ

🎧 Looking for a soundtrack for your Friday afternoon? Join Professor Dame Carol Robinson as she shares her eight tracks, book and luxury item with Lauren Laverne on Desert Island Discs. 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

🦕 We're back on the Jurassic Highway! The longest dinosaur trackway in Europe made by an individual sauropod dinosaur has been uncovered during further excavation work from the team co-led by OUMNH. 👇 Read more on the discoveries: www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...

📢 Deadline approaching – apply now for the OPEN Peer Mentoring Scheme, linking Oxford researchers with UK policy professionals to strengthen policy engagement. Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 24 October 2025. 👉 Find out more at: ow.ly/OA1g50Xcf7J

The Life and Mind building is one of the largest projects in the University's history. The £200m facility was developed and funded by Legal & General and delivered through the Oxford University Development partnership. ▶️ Take a look inside: ow.ly/C53m50XbTzL